Menagerie
by Ammykace
Summary: A selection of ficlets that are written for the Roy/Ed 45 Themes fanfiction challenge.
1. One: Good Morning

Good Morning

_He's snoring_. Edward snorted to himself. He couldn't believe the gall Roy Mustang had to snore while they were sharing a bed. He frowned at the man who was entangled in his limbs, the sheets and even had fingers stuck in his hair. _He's fast asleep snoring and I need to use the bathroom._

Edward lay there silently, carefully assessing the situation. Roy, despite all looks, was a clingy lover. Any chances of escape would have to be done fast, or hands would clamp around his waist and keep him there. He bit back a groan. He really needed to use the bathroom. First, he decided, he'd tackle the problem with his hair. He jerked his arm towards his head and blinked when nothing happened.

_Scratch that. First thing is first, freeing my damn arms._

Roy Mustang rolled over, bringing their chests in close contact, his hot breath on Edward's cheek. This made the younger man scowl even more. _Bastard_, he thought. He squirmed, gently disengaging his automail arm out from under Roy's heavy, sleep-weighted arm. _One down, one more to go. _Edward took his flat palm and gently pushed against Roy's chest and bit back a cry. _Leg_, his mind supplied. His fingers gently trailed along the other man's side, making him sigh contentedly as he reached down to free his trapped leg. Once free, he paused to re-evaluate the situation.

_Legs are free. Hair and arm still caught. Stupid idiot has to be asleep_. Edward was getting annoyed. By that time, he had to go to the bathroom badly enough to knock the other man right off the bed, but felt it in his best interest not to do that. Edward was grateful and enjoyed their sexual encounters, so it was better to keep on Roy's good side…in bed at least. He took his hand and gently reapplied the pressure to Roy's chest.

With a great amount of effort, the man finally took a hint and rolled over, off of Ed's arm. The blond let out a sigh of relief. He clenched and unclenched his fingers to bring the feeling back into them before reaching up and gently untangling his hair from Roy's fingers. The moment he was free, he fled the room for the bathroom.

The air in the bathroom was chilly with the morning and he shivered as he stood there nude, emptying the waste from his body. His thoughts wandered back to the warmth and comfortable feeling he'd had in Roy's arms before his bladder begged for his attention. He found his lips pulling back into a smile. All in all, it wasn't a bad way to wake up. Shame he couldn't have enjoyed it.

Finished with using the facilities, he flushed the toilet and washed his hands at the sink. Goosebumps had appeared up his arm and along his thighs. A glance at the clock told him it was only five and his bladder was the only reason he was even conscious at this hour. He towelled off his hands and bolted back to the bedroom where Roy lay, forgotten in the sheets. He jumped into bed and threw his arms around Roy.

Roy yelped as something hard and cold woke him up. He turned his sleepy gaze over his shoulder to see Edward clinging to him and making the most delightful sounds of content. He wanted to yell at the blond, to tell him off for waking him up, but he didn't have the heart. Roy checked that the alarm was still active, pulled the blankets up over their shoulders and settled back into sleep.


	2. Two: I'm Leaving Now

I'm Leaving Now

Roy Mustang was slouching at his desk. His eyes were glazed with boredom and a pile of paperwork was still sitting in front of him. He started when his door was slammed open and his blond temperamental lover stomped in, kicking the door behind him. No matter what age Edward became, he still added scuff marks. Inwardly, he smiled. Edward was Edward, no matter what maturity threw his way.

"I'm here!" He announced, sounding completely grumpy. Made sense, Roy mused, it was before noon after all. Edward had his legs crossed one over the other, his tight leather pants clinging from his knee along his thigh to…

Roy nearly choked. This wasn't the time for sexual thoughts. "I have a mission for you."

Edward snorted and tossed his braid over his shoulder. "What a surprise." He commented dryly, sarcasm dripping from each syllable. Roy's eyes were drawn to Edward's white gloves fingering his braid in a way that made his mind turn to the night before. If he was a younger man, he might have blushed.

"You will need to travel to Youswell for an update. They don't like anyone else to do it. It's your own fault for being so…spectacular."

The blond rolled his eyes and shifted in his seat, Roy getting a better view of his ass. "If I have to."

"You do." Roy reassured him.

"Fine." Edward threw himself into a standing position and stalked out of Roy's office.

Roy entered the house and immediately found his shoulders slammed back against the door. His eyebrows shot up in surprise and went to protest when lips found his. He moaned softly as the eager tongue probed his mouth, the jolt shooting down to his groin. Roy moved to wrap his arms around his eager lover, and found his wrists pinned to the door instantly.

Finally his blond vixen let air pass through his lips instead of his tongue. Roy's immaculate uniform was now wrinkled, his cheeks flushed and lips swollen from the kiss. Edward's eyes trailed lower, his hands still pinning Roy's and he was pleased to see the bulge in his lover's pants. He leaned up and kissed the eager lips again, letting out a moan of his own and content to hear Roy's moans mingling with his own restrained efforts to keep quiet.

Edward pulled back and finally let go of his lover, and gently guided Roy away from the door. His lover was entirely pliable and willing to do whatever Ed wanted him to. It made him smile. It hadn't taken long in their relationship to discover that Roy liked it when Edward took charge.

He reached up and pulled Roy down for one more kiss, this kiss soft and lingering against the older man's lips. He eased back just a bit, lips still brushing against one another, the pressure gone from the kiss.

"I have to go." Edward whispered, and let go of his lover and walked out the door.

Roy stood there and stared at the door with a dazed look in his eyes. After a moment he groaned with a slight smile. He'd miss Edward, but the blond would come back to him soon enough. With great effort, he stumbled to the door and closed it so he could have some privacy to take care of the erection his lover generously left him with.

Edward was glad for the chill of the night to take the heat away from his cheeks and distract him from the sexual thoughts still trailing through his mind. Thankfully, his red coat was long enough to hide the evidence of his manipulation of Roy. He couldn't help but grin as he walked. Roy may not have thought twice before assigning this mission to him, but he guaranteed he'd make the man think of him while he was gone.

That pleasant thought accompanied him as he disappeared into the night.


	3. Three: One Year Aniversary

One Year Anniversary

Edward shifted his weight from foot to foot. It wasn't that he was nervous. He was _never_ nervous. No, he was just…excited. It had been a full year since he'd invaded Roy's personal space and made it clear he wasn't leaving unless he died, or Roy did.

He eyed the clock again. Five fifteen. Only ten more minutes, he told himself. In ten minutes Roy would be home and he could put forth his plan. It was simple: feed Roy, fuck Roy and cuddle with Roy, in that order. And then maybe they'd get around to sleep and possibly even more sex.

Edward could barely contain his excitement. Dinner was ready and he was dressed up. It had to work. He felt his stomach flutter. Screw excited, now he was nervous. What if Roy didn't like this? What if…no, it would work, he decided.

He ran his fingers along the cloth of his clothes. He didn't know how Roy wore this military jacket day in and day out. The cotton was so uncomfortable. Hearing the key in the door, he blushed and moved to the couch to situate himself.

The sight that awaited Roy Mustang when he entered the house left him in awe. He stood there, gaping for a whole minute, door wide open, keys clattering to the floor along with his coat, which he had removed just outside the house. He stared at Edward, closed his mouth and stared some more. He was…_breathtaking._

His boyfriend, Roy Mustang's boyfriend, was lying on the couch. His shoulders were level with the arm of the piece, his head tilted back with a lusty look in his eyes. Long blond tendrils of hair draped over the armrest and snaked over Edward's shoulders. A uniform jacket, one that belonged to Roy, was draped over his torso, done up only half way, revealing his bare chest underneath. Gaze moving lower, he could see that Edward's feet were bare, and his legs were missing the leather pants the young man preferred. No, in its place was a royal blue pleated skirt. Not just any skirt – a miniskirt. If he angled his head slightly –_just like he was doing now_–he could see that Edward had even procured female undergarments. _Pink, silk female undergarments_.

Roy Mustang's jaw hit the floor. It was a shame that such a fine dinner that Edward had slaved over had to go to waste.


	4. Four: Library

Library

"You can't be fucking serious!" Edward Elric exclaimed, glaring at his lover. The library was a sacred place. You just didn't defile it. Especially not with sexual encounters between the two, who had a habit of screaming upon reaching climax.

"Think of it as an exercise in being quiet."

"Exhibitio-" Edward was cut off by cotton gloves covering his mouth. They were, admittedly, not in private, but seated in a nice park and were already getting strange looks thrown in their direction.

Roy's glare cut off further outbursts, at least until they were in private. Then, Ed vowed, the man would be sorry.

Their lunches were packed up quietly and they walked side by side as they headed back towards Roy's apartment.

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's a fucking library Roy!" Edward shouted. Frankly, being in private wasn't much better then staying in public, but at least they couldn't see the odd looks they were getting.

Roy Mustang rolled his eyes. "I'm fully aware of that."

"You can't have sex in the library."

"It will be closed. No one will be there!"

The glare he received in response was icy. "Would you fuck someone in your personal library?"

"I've done it." Roy smirked, boasting.

Edward's frowned deepened, and then suddenly his eyes lightened again. Roy almost took a step back; it meant his genius boyfriend found a loophole. "Okay…I'll have sex with you at the library, if you'll fuck me in the kitchen."

"That's different!"

"How is it different?!"

"It's unsanitary." Roy emphasized, crossing his arms. "We're not doing it in the kitchen."

"Then we're not doing it at the library!"

Roy pursed his lips and with a sweeping motion, pulled Edward into his arms and dipped the younger man onto the couch. "Fine, we won't…if you wear the skirt."

It seemed like a good compromise.


	5. Six: Hair

Hair

There was something about Edward Elric's hair. It was inexplicably soft, despite the young man's lack of care for it. It was like spinning gold with his fingers every time Roy played with Edward's hair. There was a certain level of intimacy there when the younger man allowed Roy to brush his hair.

Then it became smooth as silk. Golden strands moved through the bristles slowly, tangling and getting stuck at first, but slowly moving beyond that. It was getting particularly long as well, the more the young alchemist didn't cut it, it grew out. The brush took care of finding the knots and imperfections and separating them, pulling them out of the mass of perfection.

It was the way Edward lay on his stomach as Roy brushed him, making soft sounds of annoyance at first, followed by reluctant pleasure. It didn't often lead to sex, but it was an activity that they took part in whenever Roy was in the mood. Edward would often read something and get distracted by warm blunt fingers running through his hair from head to tip, lingering on his scalp.

It always felt good for both of them.

Of course, Edward's hair could be rough as well. Whenever it was braided, there was no hint of that soft, pliability that he liked to keep Edward under as long as possible. The serenity of the moment lost to the harsh realities of real life to put wear and tear on the strands. His back would tense, he'd stand tall and have steel in his eyes, willing to do whatever it took to meet his goals.

It was only Roy who saw that soft side, Edward's sprawled out, relaxed body, the skin smooth and flawless, despite the scars around the automail port, followed by the golden strands, unbound by a metal hand and left loose for Roy to play with. Edward and his enchanting hair always returned to perfection in Roy's hands where they were both fully appreciated for their sacrifice.

Or perhaps, it was Roy's reward for the time they had to spend apart, inevitable because of their jobs. One thing was for certain, there was nothing Roy wouldn't give to make the moment the silky golden strands passed through fingertips last an eternity.


	6. Fourteen: Last Kiss

Last Kiss

They say silence can be deafening. Edward Elric wished for silence. With his eyes closed, he stood in their living room, wishing for silence. They also say love is blind, and he wished for love to swoop in and free him of his eyesight.

He wouldn't cry. Not now.

Edward's mind provided a recount of the evening. The worst evening he and Roy had ever had. Some date, he thought, and let out a noise that sounded like a cross between a laugh and a sob. The laugh continued with hysterical madness. Roy Mustang was the worst date ever.

"Edward." Roy's voice called to him. The sweetness with which his name was called was almost able to overlook the complete horror he was living in.

But Edward didn't answer, still busy laughing maniacally.

The evening had been simple enough. After work, Roy had picked up Edward at home and they got dressed up. There was a function to go to and like many times before, he was going to be bringing his stunning blond lover. The Fuhrer wasn't above making it publicly known that he had captured the wildest creature God had set upon the planet, and tamed him.

Edward was stunning that night. He wore a black suit, one Roy had picked out for him and a plain white blouse, thick enough to hide his automail. His hair had been pulled back in a scholar-like ponytail and trailed down to the middle of his back. For thirty, the man looked damn good, and much younger. Roy dared to venture that his young lover could still make the teenagers swoon.

With the older man's hand at his lower back, Edward led the way out to the awaiting car. Havoc was driving, dressed in his military best, and he opened the door for the two of them. Edward had learned long ago not to thank him in front of the others, but he did so stubbornly in front of Roy's house.

Roy laughed like he always did and told Edward to stop thanking those who were supposed to be seen as help. The blond had huffed in annoyance and thanked Havoc once more, just to piss him off.

It made Roy smile.

"Dance with me."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." Edward hissed. "I'm not some girl."

"No one's watching." Roy countered.

"_Everyone's_ watching, you bastard." Years of practice had taught Edward to keep his voice down and a smile on his face as they argued at these functions.

"I'm expected to dance."

"Then go find a girl." Edward shot back. "We'd look ridiculous dancing together."

"We'd look like we were in love." Roy answered with a smug grin.

"Who wants that?!" Edward snorted but got up with Roy Mustang and took his hand. He was in love with the bastard after all; had to make him look good. Of course, the girls eyeballing the two of them and waiting for them to separate were…extra incentive to keep his hand possessively on Roy's back as they danced for the rest of the evening.

Roy was in the lead because when it came to dancing, Edward wasn't particularly skilled, or graceful, but Roy couldn't find a single complaint about being close to his lover in a way that was almost intimate…with clothes on.

After the long, boring party, the two had wanted to decompress. Edward's tie had been undone and three buttons to accompany it. Roy's military jacket had disappeared and three buttons of his own at the collar had loosened. Drinks at the bar were expected and soon the two were mildly drunk and laughing. Laughing hard, joyous laughter. After the bar, they were a bit tipsy, and therefore grateful for Havoc's driving skills. Edward was a giggler when drunk and overly cheery. He hung off of Roy's shoulders, looking at him with glazed, happy eyes. They shared light kisses in the car, Edward always did cling when he was drunk.

Once the car had stopped, Edward had giggled and pulled Roy out by the hand. Roy went with a thankful smile at Havoc before shutting the door behind him. He was pulled in the living room and their lips found each other in a deep, sensual kiss.

Now Edward found himself standing there, eyes squeezed shut and hands covering his ears. He could still hear the sounds of the night. Laughter. Roy's laughter. The sweet things he always told him when he was drunk and giddy. Well he was sober now, wasn't he? He scoffed at himself. He heard the windows breaking with gunshots, the Fuhrer's home the target. He'd heard the gasps as the bullets met their eventual mark. Roy's anguished scream.

And for five minutes, he'd listened to shuddering, bloody breaths. Then the silence. Oh, the blessed silence Edward had sought was there and it was deafening. It was so sense depriving that he could no longer feel the hot liquid on his cheeks or fingers from touching the wounds.

All at once, the blessed silence was shattered with sirens and sobbing. The bright red lights invaded the senses and the sobs, the anguish…_Oh Roy_. Edward thought.

Yes, this was the worst date they'd ever had by far. By the time the memories had all surfaced, his maniacal laughter had ended. He was quiet now, looking at Roy. The man was stretched out on the floor, eyes closed. The red lights were still flashing outside the window, but the sirens had stopped.

"Edward." Roy whispered.

"I love you, Roy Mustang." Edward told him honestly and captured his lips in a kiss neither of them could feel. Roy couldn't hear him anymore, but Edward would hear him forever.


	7. Twenty Four: Alone

Alone

"Bye Roy, I'll see you in a few days." Edward said as he hugged and kissed his boyfriend in the doorway of their home. It was always like this when the younger man left, off on another mission across the country of Amestris. He must have been in every town by then.

Roy smiled and hugged him tightly. "Try not to blow anything up. I beg of you."

"Done." Ed chuckled and left.

Roy watched Edward leave from the doorway. He stared and examined the form as it distanced itself between their home and the train station. He sighed. It would be a long week.

It was the longest week of Roy's life. He was in bed, tired, but he couldn't sleep. His lover was still in Youswell, taking care of some mining problems in the area, since the people trusted him and he was alone in bed.

The air was cooler.

Sure, Edward's automail tended to be cool, a constant source of jest between them about the younger man freezing certain parts of Roy's anatomy, but without the warmth of Edward's body, Edward's spirit, the house seemed very cold.

As he couldn't sleep, Roy sighed and got out of bed. He padded to the kitchen slowly, taking in the eerie silence. If his lover were there, there would be a soft rustle of pages, or a few noises as he read books on the sofa. Perhaps soft snoring if he'd already burnt out and crashed on the floor.

Roy shook his head, he was going nuts. He walked into the kitchen and made tea, something Edward didn't drink with him. He smiled as he envisioned Edward's look of disgust as he'd pour in the milk.

Edward couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned in the lumpy hotel bed as he sighed. He gazed longingly at the unoccupied half of the bed, pining for his lover's warm body to accompany him.

What would he be doing without him? Ed mused. He would probably have had dinner out, possibly with Havoc, followed by a round of drinks. Then he'd wander home and curl up on the couch, listening to the radio for the rest of the evening. When Roy would get bored of that, he probably go to bed, pull back the covers and flop down in the middle, reveling in the empty space with no lover to kick him in his sleep.

Or he'd be doing the same thing Ed himself was, lying in bed, unable to sleep and plagued by loneliness. Edward sighed and curled up on his side of the bed, snuggling into the pillows.

The moon was bright that night as it shone down upon Amestris. Two men, alone, one in a hotel room and one in a home were curled up, staring out at the stars. A single thought crossed their minds simultaneously, as though it was fate.

_I wish he was here by my side._


	8. Thirty: Chained

Chained

Sometimes Roy wondered if things between him and Ed would work out.

Edward was passionate and driven. He loved his brother and lived for his brother and that love was so strong that Roy almost feared being let in because it was so that it might harm him. There was always the fact that Edward's ties to his brother were strong, like steel. His flames could do nothing to break that. Ed would always need Alphonse and vice versa. He would always smile a certain way for his brother, his eyes would always light up and laughter would come so quickly.

Roy would even venture to say he was jealous.

Sometimes Ed wondered if things could work out with Roy.

Roy was attached to his job, to put it mildly. He put on a show of being a lazy bastard and not working, but one could see that just wasn't true. Everything with him was a test. The way he ignored his work, the way he pushed for time to see who would allow it and who wouldn't, the way his staff reacted... everything meant testing them for something bigger then what they all were. He constantly tested the higher ups, seeing who knows what and the constant way he tested Ed. Being with him sometimes was like taking a pop quiz, as though the man wondered where his loyalties lied. With Roy, of course, but sometimes Ed got the feeling that he knew that, no matter what show Ed put on.

Edward found that a little creepy, but he was jealous with all the time and thought Roy put into work.

Though doubts clouded them both, it was their abilities to see that caused them to notice the concern in one another. Roy noticed Edward was worried and Ed noticed that Roy seemed to recoil a bit when his brother came along to give them privacy. It was unnerving and the whole thing escalated in a silent fight.

Edward would glare at Roy until Roy simply nodded and knocked it off. Roy would frown at Ed and squeeze his left shoulder until the younger man's brow relaxed and he didn't look so worried anymore.

Perhaps things would work out after all.


	9. Thirty Seven: Distance

Distance

The air was chilly, filtering in through the open window. The window was almost always open, a quirk that Edward had adopted at some point. Roy should have closed the window, he wasn't there. Somehow he didn't want to. He didn't want to admit that the house was empty while Edward was away visiting his family in Rizenbul. It was the beginning of a long three month absence, and if he hadn't had to work, Roy would have followed him. He was just that loyal.

Or he didn't want to be lonely.

Three months was nearly a season, he told himself. Would it be snowing when Edward returned? Would they play outside a little, throwing snowballs at each other until one of them invariably gave up? Would he win this time? A slow smile spread across Roy's face as he remembered their last snow battle. It had only been a day and he was already losing it.

Two months in and Roy was downright lost. He spent a lot of time in bed, curled up in thick blankets to offset the winter wind entering through the window he stubbornly refused to close. His dreams haunted him with memories of sweet kisses, velvety blond hair and piercing golden eyes. A warm hand and a cool hand running down his chest, up his back, along his arms and between his thighs. Cold automail resting between his legs as they spooned together for warmth. He missed his genius alchemist.

He could almost see Edward sitting up, rubbing bleary eyes to clear the sleep from them with the blanket wrapped over one shoulder and off the other, revealing his toned body. Roy longed to run his fingers through blond hair, kiss the pale lips and hold Edward until they were both warm and toasty and he longed to never let go.

Edward would be back tomorrow. Roy was more anxious then he could have ever been at any other time. He got up on that Saturday morning like he always did, after a long lie-in, missing his lover and bitterly spending time with his right hand. A shower was in order, a hot one because the house was positively freezing thanks to Edward's window trick. After the shower he paced around planning, what would Ed like to eat? Would he like to eat? Should they come home? Go out?

Pacing took up the rest of the morning and lunch was prepared. After the filling meal, he ran around, making sure that Edward's laundry was done for the nth time since he'd left. He wanted everything to be perfect. He'd been with Edward a long time and it was time to be perfect for him.

As the day wound down and a final dinner alone was consumed, he curled up with a chair by the window, a book in hand, as though he were actually going to read it. Bedtime came and went with him still curled up in the chair reading. He wasn't tired…how could he sleep with Edward finally coming home?

His eyes finally departed from the pages he hadn't paid much attention to, fixing on the outside world shrouded in darkness. A single snowflake drifted downwards slowly which brought a smile to Roy's face. Winter was their favourite time of year.

Roy finally gave up on reading and moved into the bedroom to curl up into his nest of blankets. The gap of land between them that had kept them apart for the last three months was finally closing in, the distance reducing, every moment that Edward was on that train. Despite himself, he drifted off, dreaming of his lover's return the next day and the welcome he would have to give him.


End file.
